Shoe heel and shank



Z-Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 27. 1939 Feb. 27, 1940. s. CAPLAN 2,192,026

SHOE HEEL AND S HANK Filed May 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sidney t'apZanPatented Feb.27,1940

-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHOE HEEL AND SHANK Sidney Caplan, Toronto,Ontario, Canada Application May 27, 1939, Serial No. 276,101

Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful heel for shoes and isparticularly directed to moulding the heel and shank portions of theshoe in one piece from plastic material or metal.

The manufacture of shoe heels from material other than leather,particularly in ladies shoes, is well known and in common practice, woodhaving been found to be an excellent substitute in that it is veryeasily shaped, readily secured to the shoe and is of sufficient tensilestrength to support the wearer without danger of collapsing. Heels madeof wood may be readily coloured to conform with the shade of the shoeand replaceable leather lifts are easily secured thereto.

In the construction of ladies. shoes, the sole and shank portion areordinarily constructed'in 4 one piece, the shank portion usually curvinguniformly across the arch and the heel being secured to the rearward endthereof. Ordinarily, a steel shank, shaped to conform with the shape ofthe last, is built into and across the arch portion, being concealed bythe leather shank. The steel shank serves to reinforce the arch portionof the shoe and support the arch of the wearer.

Iv have found that it is possible to mould the heel and shank portion ofthe shoe in one piece from plastic material or. metal, the plasticmaterial being of such nature as will receive nails so and tacks used tosecure the sole and shank to the shoe and the replaceable leather liftmay be securely aflixed to the base of the heel. Where the shoe heel andshank is constructed of metal,

the lift may be secured thereto by any well known means such as byscrews.

An added feature of my invention resides in the use of novel means forstrengthening the heel of a shoe and securing the lift and insolethereto,

wherein the heel is moulded with barbed reinforcing pins embeddedtherein, the ends of which preferably project approximately ,4; inchabove the upper and below the lower faces of the heel.

These projecting pins may be in the form of plain, split or tubularrivets and are used in securing the insole and lift of a shoe t theheel.

In order to secure the lift and insole to the heel,

it is merely necessary to tap the heel in place and burr the rivets thusproviding a strong union between the heel and lift and between the heeland insole.

An alternative form of the above embodiment is illustrated in Figure 6in which the reinforcing pins are embedded only a short distance intothe upper and lower portions of the heel but project upwardly anddownwardly a suficient (c1. span distance to permit the heel to besecurely aflixed to the insole and the. lift to be securely affixed tothe heel. If desired; a wooden insert may be embedded'into the base ofthe heel to which the lift may be afllxed thus replacing the projectingpins in that portion of the heel. J

The moulded shank'maype'supported, if desired, by' the usual temperedsteel shank which may be attached to the moulded shank by con- 1ventional methods, such as bi/"rivets. These riv ets may be inthefifo'rm of eyelet or hollow tubular rivets which will give ,the addedadvantage of a ventilated arch The'manner in which I attain the-objectsof my invention will'be clearly understood from the.followingd'escription and accl'i'inp'anying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional side elevation of a shoe embodying myinvention in which the steel shank has been eliminated;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary 1 side elevation of a shoe embodying myinvention wherein the steel shank portion is illustrated in crosssection;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a shoe heel and shank moulded in onepiece of plastic material; -Figure 4 is a cross sectional side elevationof -a shoe heel and shank showing the reinforcing pins before the'lii'tand insole are attached to the heel;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional side elevation of go a shoe heel and shankshowing the insole and lift attached to the heel; and

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side elevation of an alternativeembodiment of my invention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout thespecification and drawings.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention, illustrated in Figures 1through 6, the numeral I indicates a lady's shoe provided with a heel 2,

shank 3 and sole 4. The leather lift 5 is secured o to the base of theheel 2. The heel 2 and shank 3 are moulded in one piece from plasticmaterial or metal.

The heel 2 is preferably moulded in such a manner to effect the greatestpossible saving in material and weight, having regard, of course, thatany danger of collapse must be avoided.

The heel 2 is designed to give the impression of slenderness. The upperportion is curved uniformly at I towards the shank portion 3 to shortenthe unsupported span across the arch of the shoe while not affecting thegraceful lines of the heel.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 4 through 6,the heel and shank may be made of cheaper types of plastic material andreinforced by means of the metal pins 9. The pins 9 are embedded in theheel and are of sumcient length to project upwardly above and downwardlybelow the top and base of the heel. The pins 9 are preferably tubular topermit the securing of the insole and lift by riveting as indicated atI2 and are preferably formed with barbs l3 which hold the pins firmly infixed position after the heel is cast.

In the modification illustrated in Figure 6 the reinforcing pins 9extend only a short distance from the top of the heel into the bodythereof and project upwardly about inch. A wooden insert M is cast intothe base of the heel to which the lift 5 is secured by tacks.

The free end 8 of the shank is tapered uniformly in order to permit anunnoticeable union between the end of the shank and the sole 6.

In the modification of my invention illustrated in Figures 1 through 3,the heel and shank portions 2 and 3 are preferably moulded from a typeof plastic adapted to receive and hold firmly the usual tacks by meansof which the lift is afiixed to the heel and the heel afiixed to theinsole. In the use of this material a saving in weight and the amount ofmaterial may be effected by casting the heel with vertically disposedopen portions l0 and H. v

I have found that shoes embodying my invention have advantages overshoes constructed with heels and shanks used heretofore. For example,the plastic material has all the desirable properties of wood in that itmay be shaped to meet any requirement, it is inexpensive and it willreceive and hold nails and tacks. In addition to these properties, theheel and shank can be moulded in one piece to efiect a considerablesaving both in the cost of forming those portions of the shoe and in theelimination of a large percentage of the leather formerly used in theshank. The shank can be covered, if desired, with a thin film of leatheror imitation leather or can be coloured to any desired shade.

It will be apparent, of course, that the scope of my invention is notlimited to any particular type or design of shoes but, with minormodifications as to shape, may be incorporated into other designswithout departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire'to. protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. A shoe heel and shank moulded in one piece of plastic material,reinforcing pins embedded in said plastic material and means forsecuring said heel to a shoe insole and means for securing a lift tosaid shoe heel.

2. A shoe heel and shank moulded in one piece of plastic material,barbed reinforcing "pins embedded in said plastic material and means forsecuring said heel to a shoe insole and means for securing a lift tosaid shoe heel.

3. A shoe heel and shank moulded in one piece of plastic material,reinforcing pins embedded in said plastic material, said reinforcingpins projecting above the upper face of the shoe heel, means forsecuring said heel to a shoe insole and means for securing a lift tosaid shoe heel.

4. A shoe heel and shank moulded in one pieceof, plastic material,reinforcing pins embedded in said plastic material, said reinforcingpins projecting above the upper face and below the lower face of theshoe heel, means for securing said heel to a shoe insole and means forsecuring a securing a lift thereto and means for securing said heel to ashoe insole.

SIDNEY

